


The Greatest Gift

by Azar



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-21
Updated: 2010-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-07 11:13:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/64590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azar/pseuds/Azar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hoshi's alone on her anniversary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DebC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebC/gifts).



> For anyone who's read my fic before...expect nothing. *g* Dedicated to DebC, because being a Navy wife gets rough sometimes. *HUG*

Two more weeks. That's how long it would be before she saw him again, when his ship was scheduled to return to Earth. Two more weeks...even though today was their anniversary.

Sighing deeply, Hoshi moved away from the window. It hadn't been difficult, when they'd decided to marry and go public with their relationship, for her to volunteer to drop out of Starfleet. She'd never really wanted to join in the first place, and she told herself that she'd be happier back on Earth teaching again. Her tour of duty on Enterprise had been hard, left scars on both of them she sometimes thought would never heal. A mission of peace had turned into a mission of war, and they'd all suffered for it.

No, it hadn't been hard at all to say she would give up the stars, even though he'd tried to convince her she would regret it.

As much as she loved him, it still irritated her that he'd been right.

But right now, it wasn't the stars she missed. No, all she wanted was him, home safe and sound. And soon.

Sighing, she picked up the PADD and settled into the sofa. If nothing else, at the very least she could grade some of these essays and take her mind off her husband-less anniversary for a little while.

Naturally, she was just getting engrossed when the door chimed.

"Bloody hell," Hoshi muttered darkly, echoing the sentiment in Japanese, Korean and Vulcan for good measure. She stalked to the door and threw it open.

There was an enormous package sitting on her doorstep. Open-mouthed, she stepped outside and slowly circled the box. If nothing else, she had to wonder where the sender had found such an extensive piece of wrapping paper, not to mention the gigantic pearly-white bow!

What on Earth?

About halfway through her inspection, she found a card taped to the side of the box, almost too high for her to reach it. She managed, however, to get just enough of a grip on the envelope to rip it free. The card inside was of a beautiful bouquet of calla lilies, matching the paper, and said, "Happy Anniversary" in a looping, gold script.

Her mouth falling open in a surprised "O," Hoshi blinked back tears. God...he must have arranged for this before he left Earth, months ago.

Inside, beneath a simple greeting, a scrawl in his familiar handwriting confirmed it: "My dear, darling Hoshi. I may not be able to be with you on our anniversary, but know that I haven't forgotten. Here's a bit of something to keep you warm until I can return. I love you always, your husband."

Hands shaking, she finally considered the box. The lid wasn't tied down, thankfully, but it was almost too high for her petite figure to reach. Nevertheless, she stood on tiptoe and carefully pushed until the lid came crashing down on the other side of the box from where she stood, then peered inside.

"Well, it's about bloody time!" a familiar voice teased.

Sitting inside, the box, and looking very cramped, was Commander Malcolm Reed, first officer and head of security on the USS Discovery NX-04.

Hoshi was almost speechless. "Malcolm..."

Struggling to his feet, Malcolm smiled sheepishly at his wife. "Happy Anniversary, Hoshi."

"But you aren't...what are you...when did...?" The woman who knew hundreds of languages finally gave up and settled on, "How?"

He nodded behind him, to where another familiar face was now peeking up above the fence, beaming from ear to ear. "I can't take complete credit, I fear...Captain Tucker insisted on cutting our mission short...and on the method of presentation." He sounded embarrassed.

Overwhelmed, Hoshi gave Trip a dazed wave and turned back to her husband. "Malcolm Reed, you get out of that box right this instant so I can give you a proper kiss!"

"Yes, ma'am." He grinned and immediately raised his hands to try to pull himself up and over the side...only to succeed in unbalancing it and bringing both box and himself tumbling over to spill at her feet.

Hoshi burst out laughing. After crawling out of the package, Malcolm threw a scowl over his shoulder in the direction of the loud guffaws issuing from the behind the fence, then looked helplessly back at his wife as he struggled to regain both his dignity and his feet. "You'll forgive me, darling, if I decide to use a certain Starship Captain for target practice tomorrow."

"Absolutely not," Hoshi scolded sharply, but with a warm smile. She pulled Malcolm close and gave him a *very* proper, very convincing kiss. "Not after he gave me the best anniversary present of my life."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a R/S 'shipper and never have been, but Deb was when we were in Enterprise fandom together (and might still be). So, for her sake, I put aside my preferences for a little while 'cause at the time she needed a cheer-up fic. :-) So this was pretty much the only one of these I ever wrote. Hope no one was expecting more, but if so...sorry! :-)


End file.
